An Amish Country Christmas Read Online Free Page B

gestured for his brother to lead the way, reminding Nate with a purposeful gaze
     that it was his job to spell out their new plans. When his hand found Mary’s, he wanted
     to drive off with her right then and there, but that was sure to get him into hot
     water.
    The kitchen felt too warm when they stepped inside. Judging from the pans of bars
     and fresh dinner rolls—not to mention four pies—on the back counter, the ovens had
     been fired up all day. When Nate hugged their aunt and snatched up a frosted sugar
     cookie, Bram followed suit . . . always a good idea to make Beulah Mae happy by eating
     every chance they got. The four of them exchanged pleasantries with the older couple
     as they hung their coats on pegs near the door. The long table was laid out with plates
     and mugs, with platters of coffee cake, sticky buns, and colorful cookies in the center.
     As his aunt quickly added two more place settings and grabbed the whistling kettle,
     Bram sighed inwardly. Might be an hour or more before they could even hope to slip
     away . . .
    “We don’t want to be any trouble, dirtying up sheets and towels and what-not,” Nate
     said as they took seats at the table, “so we won’t be staying the night, like we’d
     originally figured.”
    The kitchen got deadly quiet. Aunt Beulah Mae peered over the top of her black-rimmed
     glasses.
    Bram jammed the rest of his gingerbread man into his mouth. He was starting to sweat,
     and not just because the furnace and ovens were stoked up.
    “Abram and Nathaniel, you can’t tell me you’re starting back to Willow Ridge this
     late in the day.” Their aunt gazed intently at Mary and Martha. “Why am I thinking
     you girls have something to do with this change of plans?”
    Mary concentrated on her cocoa. Beside Nate, however, Martha bit back a grin. “At
     least give us credit for knowing a couple of worthwhile young fellows when we see
     them,” she replied pertly. “We wouldn’t invite just anybody to stay over and celebrate
     our birthday.”
    “And of course we’ll be seeing you at the schoolhouse tomorrow night for the scholars’
     program, and then spending a prayerful Christmas Day at home. All fit and proper,”
     Mary added quietly. “Mamma and Dat wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    “And what do your parents have to say about this?” Beulah Mae quizzed him and Nate. “Abe, was there
     a message on the phone from Nell, telling us of this change?”
    Uncle Abe, who had known to stay out of this conversation, shook his head. “Not the
     first time young fellows have gotten acquainted with girls over the holidays—”
    “But I’ve been cooking all day! And we’ve been looking forward to this visit—”
    “—and if you recall, Beulah Mae, you and I started courting at Christmas by giving
     your family the slip,” he continued with a quiet laugh. “ Jah , that was more than fifty years ago, but things haven’t changed between girls and
     boys since then that I’ve noticed.”
    Their aunt’s cheeks got very pink. “That’s neither here nor there, and you know it!”
     she spouted. Then she focused again on Bram and Nate. “And why do I suspect you haven’t
     told your folks about this, either?”
    Bram whipped his cell phone from the pocket of his plaid flannel shirt. “Matter of
     fact, I was just about to call them,” he said as he rose to grab his jacket.
    “And then we’ll need to head home to let Mamma know about our guests,” Martha confessed.
     She snatched a chunk of fudge from the platter as she, too, stood up. “ Denki so much for these wonderful- gut goodies, Beulah Mae.”
    “But we wouldn’t dream of missing the dinner you’ve fixed for us,” Nate chimed in. “And we’re hoping the
     girls can join us for that?”
    “We’ll be a lot better at redding up the kitchen afterward than these boys would,”
     Mary pointed out.
    The last thing Bram heard as he stepped outside was Uncle Abe’s laughter. “Sounds
     like